Rosemary and Carolyn co-direct and create bespoke scripts to ensure that every student who wants to be involved in the production can have a part from being on stage, to behind the scenes with tech work such as lighting and sound.

Involving over 70 students from Prep to Year 12, the cast worked incredibly hard over a 6 week period, learning lines, practising movement numbers. We are incredibly proud of all students who took part, showing great passion, resilience and determination. With staff member cameos including Mr Ralph, Ms Roney, Lachie and Salty we got everyone involved on stage, and behind the scenes it was a whole of community effort.

Synopsis

Set in the early days of settlement on the Australian coast, under the Southern Cross, amongst ghost gums and topiary, ‘Twelfth Night in the Great Southern Land’ is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s beloved dramatic comedy by R. Johns staged at the Hawkesdale Memorial Hall.

Including poetry by Uncle Jim Berg, the play takes fragments of Western District history, from Australia’s First Peoples to British soldiers, Irish folklore, convict maids and squattocracy, weaving and fictionalising them into the original Shakespearean tale. 

The real life Frenchman, Jean Duverney, who came to Australia in 1837 and founded Cressy, is tied into our story, and though he wasn’t shipwrecked like our Jean, we reference this early French exploration.

With leprechauns, we include flavours of Koroit’s Irish history and pay homage to the late John Gunn, who the play is dedicated to as he worked very closely with Rosemary and Carolyn over many years.



Thank yous

Rosemary and Carolyn would like to thank Uncle Jim Berg, elder of the Gunditjmara people of South-Western Victoria for his poetry; Trish Butters for coordinating our rehearsal schedule which was a moving beast as we tried to work around VCE classes and excursions, Florence Roney for her continued support, Kate Julius for her sewing skills and Bronya for manning the call ups every day to the hall!

A massive thank you to Penny and Janet and all the Warrnambool Theatre Company committee who generously lent us so many of their beautiful costumes - we encourage everyone to go and see Mary Poppins over the holidays!! Thank you to the Port Fairy Folk Festival for the loan of the rostra, in particular Ian, Reg and Andrew; Michelle McLennan for rostra pickup; Tony Day for stage management, lighting and providing us with his touring equipment; Mortlake Secondary College for headset mics, Julie Bos at Hawkesdale Post Office and the Hawkesdale Memorial Hall Committee; Tara Schebella and Cynthia from the Moyne Shire for flexibility with the Hall space; and John Ralph for his continued support of productions at Hawkesdale.

A massive thank you to all the creatives and the back stage/behind the scenes crew. And of course, we want to thank Rosemary and Carolyn for all of their incredible hard work and dedication. We are so very lucky to have them come and work with our students, creating bespoke scripts that are made just for us. Without doubt, being involved in the production will be something our students will remember for years to come and we are so very gratefu.

Creatives and Crew

Production design, props and scenery: Denise Regan & Megan Russell

Lighting, sound and stage tech: Tony Day

Production assistant: Lachlan Salt

Backstage manager: Anne Mirtschin

Stage Tech Crew: Martin Oosthuizen, Travis Anderson, Shane Edwards, Sam McKenzie, Aden Gilding Heaton Jarrad & Chris Blackburn

Costumes: The Warrnambool Theatre Company, Kate Johnson & Kate Julius

Makeup: Kylie Habel, Alisa Renda & student helpers

Catering: Megan Russell, Callena Vaughan

Ticket and program design: Anne-Maree Huglin

Ticket sales: Amanda Coulthard, Kate Julius, Bronya Lyon, & Nathan Calderwood

Front of house: Mrs Butters & Sam Young

Videography: Travis Anderson & Brenden Grandell

Rehearsal coordinator: Trish Butters

Promotion & background support: Florence Roney

Primary support: Melissa Davey, Carlee Dart, Di Brown, Bec Whitehead, Jacob Gordon, Anne-Maree Huglin, Callena Vaughan. Special thanks to the Hands-on Learning Team, Shannon Drysdale & Mark Trussler

The production in the media!

You can listen to an interview Rosemary, Carolyn, Samuel and Riley did with ABC radio about the production here and read an article published in the Warrnambool Standard here.